The present invention relates to a telephone marketing system and, more particularly, to a telephone marketing system for selectively modifying an existing telephone network by replacing at least a portion of an audible call progress signal generated by the telephone network by a prerecorded announcement and by modifying a portion of the existing call processing software of the telephone network.
Most conventional telephone networks provide a calling party with an audible ringback signal when an intended called party's telephone line is idle, and a busy signal when the intended called party's telephone line is already occupied, i.e., the telephone of the called station. Many calling parties become frustrated when encountering a busy signal, especially since the tone used to signify a busy signal is normally annoying. The time a calling party remains on the line and attempts to redial the telephone called station is busy normally represents wasted time and occupies phone equipment without generating income. It would be beneficial to be able to productively occupy the time that the calling party is on the phone line without annoying the calling party by requiring the calling party to listen to a busy signal.
Likewise, when the called station's line is idle, the period of time in which a calling party remains on the line while waiting for a party to answer the phone can be considered to be wasted time and money.
It would be advantageous to have a telephone system which would replace the audible ringback and busy signals initiated by the conventional telephone network by a series of prerecorded announcements which would provide the calling party with useful information. When the telephone at the called station is answered, the announcements would discontinue and the call would be connected in the usual manner. In addition, the announcements are also discontinued if the calling party abandons the call.
The present invention is directed to a telephone marketing system which is capable of replacing a busy signal or audible ringback signal by one or more prerecorded announcements. The present telephone marketing system notifies the calling party that the line is either busy or idle and, if busy, that the line will be automatically retried for completion in a predetermined amount of time. If the line is idle one or more prerecorded announcements are played for the caller, the announcements continuing until the phone at the called station is answered. At that time, the announcements are discontinued and the call is completed. If the called station's line is busy, a number of prerecorded announcements are played for the predetermined amount of time. The announcements can vary in subject matter. Once the called station's line is determined to be idle, i.e., at the called station is no longer in use the telephone, the calling party is automatically connected to the called station and the announcements are terminated.